Beloved, 

Isn’t it amazing how the same Scriptural passage surprises us by speaking to our hearts differently depending on where we are spiritually? As I gazed at the beautiful Detroit skyline across the river, I encountered such an amazement. About fifteen years ago, I lived in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, just a stone’s throw away from Detroit, Michigan. Although many travelers cross the border daily over the bridge or the underground tunnel, I was stuck in Canada without the freedom of crossing due to my pending visa application. The recent tightening of immigration laws on religious worker visas meant nobody knew the duration of visa processing time, let alone the chance of approval to return to the United States, even after 16 years of living there. If you think I am joking, imagine being in a foreign country where your eligibility to stay in the country could change at any given moment by the opinions of border patrol officers, your sponsors, and the evolving laws, constantly being under pressure to prove your worth to stay in the country. Even a tiny policy change or premature judgment on you quickly determines whether you can stay and relax or need to pack up and leave. It is easier to lose lawful status than we realize, much like driving over the speed limit. Compared to US immigration, entering Canada was a much more relaxing experience because I did not need any visa to live there as a clergy.

 Despite the welcoming entry, my time in Windsor left me in a spiritual wilderness of confusion and disorientation. Windsor’s geographical location, south of Detroit, constantly reminded me of my displacement. Whenever I drove, the view of the Detroit skyline in front of me made me assume I was heading south; in reality, I was driving the opposite! My mobile plan did not include usage in Canada, so my GPS was a good old-fashioned way of rolling down the window to ask for directions. 

Then, the local dialect and different use of words amazed me; how could people speak English so differently just across the river, eh? Church services are technically the same, but not exactly, if you follow what I mean. I often stumbled through reciting the Canadian Eucharistic prayer, which sounded like a computer glitch from time to time. Lest I remember: what is up with a bag of milk in a plastic pitcher instead of a jug? Who thought snipping the corner of a plastic bag in a pitcher was any better than simply pouring it out of a jug? Milk absorbed the yucky odor from the opening, and my cereals tasted like a refrigerator! 

The more disoriented I felt like these, the deeper I longed for America and missed all the familiar ways of going about everyday things to which I had become accustomed. Detroit skyline from across the river looked amazing. How did I miss out on this beauty while I was still in Michigan? My initial impression of the city was nothing like it. Littered trash was everywhere on the dusty streets. So many buildings boarded up, glass windows shattered, and walls tagged with spray paint. I did not feel safe at all. Yet, this postcard-worthy view from the other side of the river reminded me of everything I loved about the United States of America.

“The stone the builder rejected has become a chief cornerstone (Psalm 118:22).” This passage, which speaks of the unexpected becoming the essential, perfectly encapsulates my changed perceptions of Detroit. My brief time in Windsor initially felt like an eternal timeout from the United States. I questioned many things in the spiritual wilderness. Why did America make me leave after so many years of lawful living? What did I do to deserve the timeout? Would I ever be free from the constant immigration nightmare? The more I thought of these questions, the angrier I became, and I took it out on Windsor. However, this resentful situation turned out to be a blessing in disguise. God led me to many friends, gave me invaluable experiences, and opened my eyes to appreciate beautiful Detroit in ways I never had imagined, including these rugged aspects of the city. My coming back was not just a physical return but a spiritual one filled with growth, inspiration, and hope. Windsor taught me much about God’s abundant love through people, experiences, and renewed perspectives. Jesus was with me the whole time, and I was a spoiled brat who did not know any better.

Looking at our lives from different angles surprises us with new insights. Too often, we let our minds get stuck with one mindset, which keeps us from welcoming new perspectives. We get stuck, perhaps because we are determined to be right, don’t know any other way, or are too afraid of the unknown. More often than not, we find comfort in staying miserable than trying something new so that we won’t have to change. Jesus teaches us that is not who we are. He teaches us to deny ourselves to follow Him (Matthew 16:24), leave our belongings to journey with Him (Mark 10:28), forgive sins to choose love like Him (John 20:22), and believe to take a chance in Him (John 20:27.) In Jesus we let our old miserable self die so that we will be born again to love, like a grain of wheat (John 12:24.) As I sat on a new memorial bench with Beau at the end of the spiritual pathway, looking over our beautiful campus from a different angle, God recharged my faith, hope, and love to welcome new days, new joys, and new possibilities. October 20th, the third Sunday, is our Fall Parish Council after the 10:30 a.m. service, the only service we have that day. Be prepared to LIFT UP YOUR HEART! I invite you to join me in this journey of spiritual growth and discovery as we learn from each other’s experiences and perspectives. Let’s embark on this journey together with open minds and hearts, ready to embrace new perspectives and experience spiritual growth.

With Love, 

Fr. Andrew